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No wind touchdown

A

Airguide

Registered User
I don’t normally post anything on this site but am a contributor. Bear with me.

I am wondering what kind of ground speeds you folks are seeing in no wind conditions with stock cubs on touchdown. I am looking for GPS speeds in mph. I recently had major work done on my cub and it seems to me to land a little faster than before.
Thanks


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Stock wing with VG’s Full flap power on 1800 rpm I can slow to 37 mph but tail wheel is well below the mains. I would say normal touchdown speed after flair to slow and release back pressure to get tailwheel above mains is about 40 mph (1400 rpm). Rigging makes a lot of difference at slow speeds.
DENNY
 
DENNY said:
Stock wing with VG’s Full flap power on 1800 rpm I can slow to 37 mph but tail wheel is well below the mains. I would say normal touchdown speed after flair to slow and release back pressure to get tailwheel above mains is about 40 mph (1400 rpm). Rigging makes a lot of difference at slow speeds.
DENNY
Click to expand...

Thanks Denny, that is what I am seeing. I am not as tuned as I used to be when I was Part 135.


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DENNY said:
Stock wing with VG’s Full flap power on 1800 rpm I can slow to 37 mph but tail wheel is well below the mains. I would say normal touchdown speed after flair to slow and release back pressure to get tailwheel above mains is about 40 mph (1400 rpm). Rigging makes a lot of difference at slow speeds.
DENNY
Click to expand...
DENNY, Is this GPS speed or IAS? The question was for GPS speed.
My Cub will stop flying in ground effect at 28 mph GPS speed in calm wind. This on floats which I've found reduces the stall speeds by providing their own lift. The IAS is about 34 mph.
 
Airguide said:
I recently had major work done on my cub and it seems to me to land a little faster than before.
Thanks
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
Click to expand...

I once cut & welded on lower longerons, and thought i'd go a 1/4" lower at tail post, since they are always stretching lower longerons, and having to cut & shorten lower longeron.....

later on we replaced the whole tail section with a univair one, and i welded correctly(not extra 1/4" lower)

and the pilot stated plane after 2nd tail installed, was back to normal and could slow down again....(Jim Bickman)

with the extra 1/4" down he couldn't slow the plane down as much

this was 20+ years ago?? think that's the details I remember....
 
That is GPS speed. I was doing some ground effect training one day and got GPS speed down to 34, I was real happy with myself until I turned around and realized the wind picked up and I had 3 on the tail:oops: DENNY
 
Last edited:
TAS is probably a more useful number. My Cub touches down around 33 mph TAS. Adjust for altitude, instrument error.
 
OT

I've put just about 50 hours on my Acroduster 2 and although I'd like to know my touchdown speed it seems I've been too busy at that time to take note. It doesn't matter sincew the gear is too short you can't full stall anyway, it's probably 10 mph about stall in 3-point.....? Probably 60IAS FWIW?
 
skywagon8a said:
DENNY, Is this GPS speed or IAS? The question was for GPS speed.
My Cub will stop flying in ground effect at 28 mph GPS speed in calm wind. This on floats which I've found reduces the stall speeds by providing their own lift. The IAS is about 34 mph.
Click to expand...

Wow! Most guys are touching down in upper thirties according to their GPS in a no wind situations and many in the low 40s.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Big wings/flaps make a big difference. I have some plans in the works but not for my certified cub.
DENNY
 
FWIW, on the -12, when I'm doing the absolute best I can, touchdown speed is 40-ish on the GPS. If I'm "across the fence" in a relatively steady descent at an indicated 35 or so airspeed, it seems to be about the right mix of enough energy for a decent flare/no-bounce. Any slower than that indicated 35 and, while the greaser is still possible, if I haven't flattened my descent soon enough, there will be bounce.

It's an old steam gauge of course, but if I'm trying to match numbers (on a no-wind day), I won't use the airspeed indicator other than for a quick glance as I come across the "fence"....it's pretty spastic at appropriate touchdown speeds.
 
pa12drvr said:
FWIW, on the -12, when I'm doing the absolute best I can, touchdown speed is 40-ish on the GPS. If I'm "across the fence" in a relatively steady descent at an indicated 35 or so airspeed, it seems to be about the right mix of enough energy for a decent flare/no-bounce. Any slower than that indicated 35 and, while the greaser is still possible, if I haven't flattened my descent soon enough, there will be bounce.

It's an old steam gauge of course, but if I'm trying to match numbers (on a no-wind day), I won't use the airspeed indicator other than for a quick glance as I come across the "fence"....it's pretty spastic at appropriate touchdown speeds.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, looks like you have it figured out for your plane.


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